Threatened premature labour

Hi, I have just had the unpleasant experience of going into threatened premature labour at 29 wks. I managed to pick up a gastro bug and spent all sunday night throwing up and with the runs too. Felt awful, but baby moving around constantly and stomach and chest sore from all the heaving. I couldn't even keep water down for about 11 hrs. I've been having lots of BH's for a lot of weeks now, with occasional more severe ones if I overdo the physical activity (even walk around the block), but Monday they were really present. My husband popped home from work at lunchtime to see how I was, and I told him about the increased BH's. We then actually timed them, and to my shock they were 5 min apart, regular and lasting 1 min. Oh well, I thought, time to pop down the hospital to get monitored like they said, nothing to worry about, just got to get over this gastro. Well down we go, monitor on, and oops, I'm having them every 2 min but only feeling about every third one. I think 'just give me something to settle the gastro and I'll be fine' - but no - a trip by ambulance to the next hospital up the line!!!! A shot of steroids 'just in case for baby's lungs' and something to reduce the contractions and off I go, quite anxious and thinking 'holy moly, I thought a little monitoring would do'.

Anyway, still contracting when we arrived, but thank goodness my cervix was closed, waters intact and FFN test negative - all good. So they give me some stemetil for the vomiting, more nifedipine, and fluids - and everything eventually starts to calm down. Phew! Talk about worrying though! I really didn't think anything would happen until they talked about ambulances and helicopters etc, then I got worried. Home now after a night in hospital, to have the week off work and for an OBS checkup next week. Stay on the medication too to keep things settled. Boy, I'm glad that's over. Much as I'm keen to meet baby, this is way too early, I'm happy to go all the way to the c section date rather than go through that again.

Anyone else experienced something like this? Did it come back? Did you deliver early? What did you have to do to keep it controlled?

I went through exactly the same as you at 33wks and delivered at 39wks. I continued to have pre-labour up until 39wks but bubs stayed put. I know how stressful it must be for you, glad bubs is staying put and praying for you that everything will be ok.

Regards,
Dianne

Firstly so glad everything has settled for you, and so glad bubs is still nice and safe inside you.
When I was 22weeks pg with my second I picked up gastro, coming out both ends. I was throwing up every 10mins for hours and hours. My DH was going to go to work a couple of hours if me being so sick until I told him that he needed to get me to the hospital. I ended up in hospital for 4-5days. Didnt get sick like that again in that pgcy and had him at 40wks.

With my last pgcy picked up gastro twice but was monitored the first time in emergency as I was under 20weeks for around 8hrs, the second time I was around 35wks and was monitored for a couple of hours the following day in the antenatel clinic after I told them I had been sick. Neither was as bad as when I was sick with my DS.

I had pre-term labor with an irritable uterus from 24 weeks with DS. Started off by itself with no warning - ended up with contrax coming at 1 min apart with cervical changes and DS had very significant heart disease which needed open heart surgery at birth! Not great.

Anyway I had the same type of treatment as you and was in a delivery room (with my legs crossed) for nearly a week. Then on home and hospital rest for the rest of the pg. Had to have weekly OB appt and weekly scans to see how bubs was growing, how he was coping with contrax and how my cervix was going.

Ended up in hospt a few more times but managed to get to 36 weeks. Delivery by emergency non-laboring c-section due to bubs being distressed by on-going contrax and losing weight.

We had quite a few shots of the steroids - whenever it looked like things were building to labor again. But he managed to stay in there until 36 weeks which was great! When he was born he was small and very sick with heart disease BUT his lungs were fine and he didnt have any issues associated with pre-term delivery.

The most important thing you can do now is find ways to de-stress. You will need to rest and that can actually be stressful (sounds crazy but I found it really hard).

I found it helped to get busy with craft - I taught myself how to knit and crochet and did projects for the baby. The drugs can give you headaches so I found I coulnt read much or watch TV.

Good luck!

:hug:

I am so glad to hear it's settled and I hope it stays that way.

I went into threatned pre-term labour at 26 weeks with Tristan and it was on again off again until he delivered at 34+3 weeks. Not at all fun, but he is ok and thats whats important :)

All the best xxx

I have an irritable uterus and usually end up having the shots at 30 weeks or so... and then everything settles down until term, other than fierce braxton hicks and lots of prodromal labour.

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better.

No, no, no, no - you're an October mummy, so stick with us!! So glad everything's settled now, hun :hug:

hell yeah

I was in hosp at 27 weeks with Jack for a heart condition when my BH started making me stop and double over in pain, some monitoring confirmed some regular contractions, steroids given and put on adalat to stop them for 10 days,
at 29 weeks 2 days spent a a day in pain Jase took me to local hosp, had internal nothing happening there but contractions were picking up speed, so more steroids, back on adalat and flow to brisbane by royal flying dr's...
spent 3 nights in RWH then just shy of 3 week at ronald mcdonald house next door to hosp, finally allowed home at 32 weeks,
woke on the morning of 34 weeks to hubby sayign we have made it..34 weeks meant we could hopefully deliver in our chosen hosp (2hrs away)
that afternoon flown out by cap rescue chopper, spent the next few weeks in and out of hosp :rolleyes:
jack was delivered at 37 weeks 3 days after being flown out again this time to townsville :lol: